Something Old - Something Clear - Something Borrowed - Something Queer
by John I. Myers
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", May 1970, page 15
It sure would be nice if this report from the Southeast could contain something in cobalt blue. However, around here this color is about as scarce as skaters on an ice rink in July.
As for something old, we have two. Picture #1 is a no name, threadless black
glass (CD 718), and the "Pilgrim Hat" in picture #2 is a light aqua threadless embossed
insulator (CD 735). Unfortunately, the embossing is not readable except for the initials N. Y. (You might be able to see these initials in the picture. Both of these insulators were found by a bottle collector who was digging in a dump in Augusta, Georgia. The black glass insulator is in
almost perfect condition. I'm told that the "Pilgrim Hat" broke in three pieces immediately after it was dug. In case you can't read the dimensions on the pictures, #1 is 2-3/8" x 3-1/2", and picture #2 is 2-7/8" x 3 1/2". Since these are the first threadless insulators found around here we sure would appreciate any Information you readers may have.
#1 
#2 
Picture #3 is a Lynchburg (CD 162) with Gayner numbering NO. 36-190. The familiar trademark of the "L in a
circle" is also missing. My guess is that this was a transition insulator from the Gayner to the Lynchburg molds. It would be interesting to know how many of
these are in other collections. #3 
The same would be true of the Hawley (CD 162) signal in picture #4.
#4 
The clear glass "Dead End" insulator (CD 1052) in #5 is a Hemingray 518. I found this single one in a power company equipment yard in upper South Carolina. This is the only one I've seen.
#5 
Now for the queer one, #6, as well as the borrowed one. This stranger was found by my next door neighbor near his cabin on Lake Murray, South Carolina.
# 6 
Again I will repeat the Information in case the picture is not clear enough. The dimensions are 1-7/8" x 3-3/4". One side is embossed
PYREX / T.M. Reg. / U.S. PAT. OFF / MADE IN USA. The other side is embossed PAT.
NO. / 2046960 / 7500 VOLTS. The threads were on the outside, and the metal piece shown on the left evidently held it to some object. There is a spring in the top that is adjustable. My neighbor is a power engineer, and we both believe that this is part of some sort of an are suppressor.
Well, that is it from the "Sunny South", but I would like to warn you Northerners. I recently had a beautiful amber capacitor
insulator in soaking, and a cool (?) spell froze the water. The sad result was a broken insulator. I guess the warning is not really applicable, because only a Southerner would leave an open bucket of water outside in 5 degree weather.
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